Bridle-bit



' (N M 2 Sheets-Sheet 1-,.

R. A. SHUTE.

BRIDLE BIT.

No. 529,814. Patented Nov. 27, 1894.

(No Model.) I I 2 Sheets-Shet 2.

. R. A. SHUTE.

BRIDLE BIT.

No. 529,814. PatentedNov. Z'7, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE.

RICHARD A. SHUTE, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

BRlDLE-Bl-T.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 529,814, dated November 27,1894.

Application filed February 15, 1894. Serial No. 500,284- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD A. SHUTE, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Diego, county of San Diego, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Bridle-Bits; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in bridle bits.

It consists in the formation of that part of the bit which extends through the mouth of the horse, in rigid connection with the rings to which the reins are attached,and in certain details of construction which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1, 2 and 3 show the application to a rigid bar bit. Fig. 4 shows the application to a jointed bit. Fig. 5 shows the bit applied to a horses mouth.

The object of my invention is to form a rigid connection between the ends of the bar which passes through the horses mouth, whether said bar be a rigid or jointed one, whereby the rings are prevented from pulling into the mouth of the horse from either side, and they also furnish a fulcrum through which the pull upon the reins on eitherside willbe communicated through the body of the bit, giving a purchase and leverage against the jaw of the horse and enabling the driver to turn the horse quickly, as well as to prevent him from holding the bit between his teeth.

A is the bar which extends through the mouth of the horse. It may be constructed in any suitable manner, either drop forged in a single piece having the rings B B forged upon the ends at the same time, and afterward finished up, as shown in Fig.. 1, or it may be formed by twisting the portion intermediate between the two rings to form a V twisted bit, with the rings turned up on each side, as shown by Fig. 2, or it may be made integral with the rings in other suitable manner.

In some cases it will be found preferable or desirable to make the bit and the rings independent, in which case the rings are attached to the ends of the bar A, either by screwing them on until theyfit againstashoulder, and afterward securing them by lock nuts 0 upon the outside, or they may be fitted with angular holes fitting corresponding angular ends on the bit bar, and be locked in place by the nut as before. This enables me to fit the rings to longer or shorter bars at will. In all cases the rings are fixed to the mouth bars at such an angle that they diverge slightly from their junction with the ends of the bar to their opposite periphery, so that while the bit has sufficient length to fit the mouth, the rings diverge enough to admit the greater width of the jaws farther back.

The ends of the bar A are made of greater diameter than the central portion, preferably in the form of conically diverging ends as shown, and this is of advantage because it prevents the animal from holding the bitbetween the teeth as he cannot obtain such a hold upon these tapering ends that a slight pull will not loosen the bit.

r In Fig. 4. I have shown the bit formed with a joint and the parts of the bar are ofiset at this joint, so that the connecting links will be on the opposite side from that part which forms a bearing in the mouth, and the bearing part will be approximately smooth so as to prevent any annoyance or injury to the horses mouth bythe pressure. The rings in this case are secured rigidly to the ends of the bar as before described, and at a similar angle.

D D are slotted openings formed upon the upper sides of the rings for the attachment of the side straps of the head-stall, and the driving reins are attached to the rings by snap hooks as shown plainly in Fig. 5.

This invention is especially adapted for use on horses used by police patrol, and for fire department purposes, where rapid hitching up is required. The rings being rigidly attached to the ends of the bitproper, it is only necessary to bring both the snap hooks of the reins upon each side'in contact with the rings, and the pressure necessary to cause them to engage will instantly lock the snap hooks upon the rings, because the latter being rigidly held upon the ends of the bit cannot swing or twist out of place, and it is not necessary to hold the rings against the pressure of the snap hooks.

It will be manifest that the rings may be made of any desired shape, either round, oval, D-shape, or other form, and they are so conthe. o

nected with the bar of the bit as to fall below the animals jaws so that the snap hooks are easily engaged without striking the horses mouth. When the reins are attached and the horse is being driven, the rigid connection provides a leverage, so that when one rein is pulled the ring upon that side is broughtinto contact with the horses jaw and assists in turning him quickly. It also provides a leverage so that if the horse is inclined to take the bit in his teeth it is very easily disengaged byapull from either side, 011 account of the shape of the ends of the bar.

The position of the rings is always the same. They cannot be drawn into the month by a hard pull from one side, and they are large enough so as to extend up on each side of the horses jaw to a considerable distance for the purpose of providing the necessary leverage.

RICHARD 'A. SHUTE.

Witnesses:

S. H. NOURSE, J. A. BAYLESS. 

